System and a method for performing personalised interactive automated electronic marketing of the marketing service provider

ABSTRACT

The new system and method for performing personalised interactive automated electronic marketing of the marketing service provider being utilized by product vendors and end users. A so-called business-to-business subscription system between the marketing service provider and a plurality of product vendors is established. This system integrates the conventional media, e.g. TV, radio and newspapers, the modern information society tools, e.g. mobile phone technology, personal computers and Internet. Product vendors are now provided with a powerful and effective marketing tool, while end users with personalised desired data acquisition and the tool for purchasing on the safe and timely manner. The new system improves the commercial request response rate by simultaneously avoiding the sales leads&#39; losses and transforming the cold sales leads into the hot sales leads. It ultimately results in that AIDA cycle of the end user with regard to the product will become substantially shortened.

[0001] The new system and a method for performing personalisedinteractive automated electronic marketing of the marketing serviceprovider The new system and a method for performing personalisedinteractive automated electronic marketing of the marketing serviceprovider being utilized by product vendors and end users whereby aso-called business-to-business subscription system between the marketingservice provider and a plurality of product vendors is established. Thissystem integrates the conventional media, e.g. TV, radio and newspapers,the modern information society tools, e.g. mobile phone technology,personal computers and Internet, in order to provide product vendorswith a powerful and effective marketing tool and end users withpersonalised desired data acquisition and the tool for purchasing on thesafe and timely manner.

[0002] The development of planning and executing of the conception,pricing, promotion and distribution of products in order to createsale/purchasing activities between product vendors and end users facesat present difficulties with regard to the e-commerce. At present theconsumers show an unsatisfactory level of confidence in e-commerceregarding efficiency (product need to be seen, smelled, heard, etc.) andsecurity (safe data transfers and transactions with guaranteed privacy)resulting in that the large majority of product vendors remain to carryout the expensive conventional marketing operations, e.g. advertisingproducts in the media, printing catalogues and brochures and performingother direct or indirect labour-intensive marketing activities.

[0003] The modem products envisaged for automated marketing can belisted, but not limited to, as follows:

[0004] a) high value-added products with a high technological content;

[0005] b) status-linked products where technology and/or branding takeprecedence and whose life expectancy is very limited;

[0006] c) products related to the individualization of the lifestylesand lowering of the consumer fidelity due to diminishing of traditionalsocial structures.

[0007] Additionally, the actual purchasing of the products currentlyundergoes maximisation of the shopping proximity due to increasingtraffic congestion and minimisation of the distributor margins in anever-increasing competition. The growing conception of the new productsis quickening, promotion is adapting to new medias while theinternational distribution is increasing the logistics complexity. Foraccessing the product data in the prior art potential end-user need tocarry out time-consuming data search by means of either checking printedsources of information, web surfing the Internet or simply consultingshop personnel (that is progressively being less skilled or able toprovide potential end-user with desired information) in the shop. Inother words the so-called “attraction, interest, desire and action”(AIDA) cycle of the end user with regard to the product is long andtherefore difficult for the marketing service to separate and analysethe hot lead sales items versus the cold lead sales items.

[0008] Failing to address these aspects as well as to recognize the needfor constant marketing improvement results in that the businesses of therelated product suppliers will lose competitive edge and their existencewill be endangered.

[0009] The new system and a method for performing personalisedinteractive automated electronic marketing of the marketing serviceprovider, according to invention, which is utilized by product vendors,advertising agencies and end users whereby a so-calledbusiness-to-business subscription system between the marketing serviceprovider and a plurality of product vendors is established primarilyimproves the commercial request response rate by simultaneously avoidingthe sales leads' losses and transforming the cold sales leads into thehot sales leads by which AIDA cycle of the end user with regard to theproduct is substantially shortened.

[0010] The desired format and the desired visualisation of the productdata are being decided upon- and personalised by the end-user who maydecide whether the requested data information is presented in the formof a fax, an e-mail or via an adjustable internet website subsequentlydecreasing product advertising costs making, among others, printing ofcatalogues, folders and/or other product brochures on the paper or thelike superfluous. The end-users actions related to the product datarequests may be recorded (e.g. number of requests or types of productsof interest) and therefore enabling end-user's response chain history tobe traceable and assessable for the supplier of the products.

[0011] Description of the whole personalised interactive marketingsystem according to invention through the particular descriptions of itsessential elements is given below.

[0012] The personalised interactive marketing system according toinvention consists of, but not limited to, the following elements:

[0013] a) product coding system applied to the advertised and publicisedproducts whereby each product is provided with an unique alphanumericalcode, such as a name and/or number which is integrated in the appearanceof the said product;

[0014] b) management (issuing, providing and maintaining) of the codesowned by the marketing service provider, which management forms thebasis for the said subscription system with the product suppliers andadvertising agencies;

[0015] c) at least one unit of the mobile telecommunication apparatus,such as a mobile phone, connected to the mobile network and capable ofelectronically transferring the data over internet, e.g. via SMSgateway,

[0016] d) at least one PC provided with, among others, an internetconnection with corresponding software browser such as Netscape orExplorer, furthermore with a functionality for a personalised, reliableand safe communication and data transfer with the integral marketingwebsite (MInfo Portal) of the marketing service provider;

[0017] e) an integral marketing website (MInfo Portal) run by themarketing operating programme (Minfo software) of the marketing serviceprovider which is physically located at its fileserver, whereby saidfileserver establishes' an authorized communication- and data traffic,with regard to the product data information requested by the end user,from the marketing database to the end-user's PC, whereby the publicisedand advertised product are provided with alphanumerical codes accordingto the said coding system, which codes can be inputted by end-user intoa mobile phone and subsequently sent to integral marketing website(MInfo Portal) via the SMS gateway.

[0018] This SMS gateway exchanges the authorisation data with theintegral marketing website (MInfo Portal) of the marketing serviceprovider by means of request related to the product data, such asgeneral information, technical specification and price whereby theconnection between PC and the integral marketing website (MInfo)initially commences by means of exchange of the authorization data suchas phone number and name, respectively transmits and visualises theproduct data from the marketing database server to the PC, whereupon theend user at his convenience can make a choice and buy the product bymeans of sending a purchase order to the product vendor and/or merchantvia the same integral marketing website (MInfo Portal) of the marketingservice provider.

[0019] The format of, the contents (e.g. product specification withprice), means of communication (e.g. website, e-mail, fax) and thevolume of the product data requested by the end user are decided upon-and personalised by the user interface (e.g. through website or a mobilephone provided with a data transfer protocol).

[0020] The improvement of the marketing service obtained by implementingthe new marketing system according to invention is manifested in thefollowing:

[0021] 1. From the point of view of the supplier of the products:

[0022] 1.1 quicker commercialisation of the products;

[0023] 1.2 a new combination of brand awareness with information contentwhich compensates the need for the knowledgeable and skilled personnelin the shops, which leads to

[0024] 1.3 delivery of a rich content message to the large plurality ofpotential end-users (world market) through mass-customisation;

[0025] 1.4 enabling the product supplier to monitor and analyse theattitude of the end user towards the marketed products;

[0026] 1.5 decreasing the advertising costs of the products wherebyprinting of catalogues, folders and/or other product brochures on thepaper or the like therefore becomes unnecessary, by which the savingscan be converted into investments for advertising in other media.

[0027] 2. From the point of view of the end user of the products:

[0028] 2.1 end user is provided with the appropriate amount of theproduct data for allowing easy, comprehensive and good-value purchasingdecisions;

[0029] 2.2 increased overall appeal to the end-users due to thepersonalisation of marketing by which the predefined volume and thecontents of the requested product data (originated and uploaded bysupplier of the products) upon the end-user's request are sent from themarketing service provider by means of modem communication tools (email,fax or via the marketing website) whereupon they can be viewed andanalysed at enduser's convinience.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0030]FIG. 1 is a modified block diagram of a representative hardwareenvironment combined with the data flowchart in accordance with the newmethod and system for performing personalised interactive automatedelectronic marketing of the marketing service provider according toinvention. Arrows presented in the diagram show direction(s) ofcommunication and/or data flow between the system elements Electronicpurchasing (E-commerce) and payment (E-pay) are shown as optional.

[0031] Each product is assigned an unique code, subsequently this codewill be integrated and visualised on each publication and advertisementof the product appearance, e.g. in an alphanumerical form. A productcode input into the mobile phone by end user is subsequently transmittedby SMS protocol to the mobile phone provider that, then, communicateswith the marketing fileserver (Minfo) of the marketing provider. Theproduct data related to the product will be transmitted through themodern communication tools (fax, e-mail and/or via end-user's homepageon the marketing website) for viewing at end-user's convenience.End-user can now make a choice and buy the product by means of sending apurchase order to the product supplier either via phone, fax, e-mail oroptionally via the same integral marketing website (MInfo Portal) of themarketing service provider (E-commerce). A secure electronic payment(E-Pay) with one or more banks is also optional.

1: A system and a method for performing personalised interactiveautomated electronic marketing of a marketing service provider, utilizedby product suppliers and end-users whereby a business-to-businesssubscription system between the marketing service provider, advertisingagencies and a plurality of product suppliers is established, to improvea commercial request response rate by substantially shortening theend-user's attraction, interest, desire and action (AIDA) cycle withregard to a product, whereby a desired format and desired visualisationof product data are being decided upon and personalised by the end-userwho may decide whether requested data information is presented in a formof a fax, an e-mail or via an adjustable internet website subsequentlydecreasing product advertising costs making, printing of catalogues,folders and/or other product brochures on the paper or the likesuperfluous, whereby the end-users actions related to the product datarequests may be recorded and therefore enabling response chain historyof the end-user to be traceable and accessable; said automated marketsystem providing integration of the elements: a) product coding systemapplied to the advertised and publicised products whereby each productis provided with an unique alphanumerical code, which is integrated inthe appearance of the product; b) management of a plurality of productcodes owned by the marketing service provider and issued upon request ofand to the product supplier, which management forms the basis for thesubscription system with the product suppliers whereby agencies can beincluded in this marketing system optionally; c) at least one mobiletelecommunication apparatus unit, connected to the mobile network andcapable of electronically transferring the data over internet, d) atleast one PC provided with an internet connection, internet softwarebrowser, and with a functionality for a personalised, reliable and safecommunication and data transfer with an integral marketing website ofthe marketing service provider; e) an integral marketing website run bythe marketing operating programme of the marketing service providerwhich is physically located at its fileserver, whereby said fileserverestablishes authorized communication and data traffic, with regard tothe product data information requested by the end-user, from themarketing database to communication tools of the end-user, whereby thepublicised and advertised products are provided with alphanumericalcodes according to the coding system, which codes can be inputted by anend-user into the at least one mobile telecommunication apparatus unitand subsequently sent to the integral marketing website via theInternet, whereupon said integral marketing website emits the requestedproduct data to the end-user at his/her convenience; whereby saidInternet exchanges the authorisation data with the integral marketingwebsite of the supplier of the marketing service by requesting productdata, including technical specification and price, whereby theconnection between PC and the integral marketing website initiallycommences by exchange of the authorisation data, and subsequentlytransmits the product data from the marketing database server by thecommunication tools of the end user whereupon the end-user cansubsequently analyse, make a choice and buy the product by sending apurchase order to the product supplier via either phone, fax, e-mail orvia the same integral marketing website of the marketing serviceprovider. 2: A separate computer operating programme for marketing thatis installed on the fileserver of the marketing system provideraccording to the claim 1, characterised in that wherein the followingfunctions are included: a) a separate product coding management system;b) communication and authorisation of the data transfer betweenmarketing service suppler, end-users and product suppliers; c) creationof a personalised homepage on the marketing website whereby by inputtingof both the personal data and a mobile phone number the requestedproduct data will be provided and visualised thereafter; d) recording ofthe data traffic between the marketing service provider, productsuppliers and end-users and e) analyzing the end and user's behaviourrelated to the marketed products; f) establishing and managing of theplurality of the product codes with the code-related data and otherproduct supplier related data; g) establishing and managing of theplurality of the end-users data; authorisation- and access to marketingsystem related data; h) establishing and managing of the subscriptionsystem between the marketing system provider and the plurality of theproduct suppliers. 3: A separate product coding system of the marketingsystem according to claim 1, wherein each product is assigned an uniquecode, subsequently this code is integrated and visualised on eachpublication and advertisement of the product appearance, by which asimple input of this code into the mobile phone by end user is possible,said coding system being centrally managed on the fileserver of themarketing service provider whereby for a plurality of product vendors aplurality of product codes will be assigned, said product codes beingrelated with the uploaded product data from the product suppliers ortheir affiliated advertising agencies and the answering of the productdata request by the end user of subsequently inputting the code in themobile phone by the end-user, transmission of the code via the Internetto the fileserver of the marketing service provider, transmission of thecode-related product data through the communication tools to theend-user for viewing at his/her convenience. 4: A separate subscriptionbetween the marketing service provider and the plurality of the productvendors according to claim 1, wherein depending on the number of themarketed products, each product supplier will be assigned a number ofproduct codes and storage volume for electronic data on the marketingfileserver, whereby a substantial number of marketing activities will beassigned to the marketing service provider, therefore enabling responsechain history of the end-user to be traceable and accessable. 5: Aseparate product coding system of the marketing system according toclaim 2, wherein each product is assigned an unique code, subsequentlythis code is integrated and visualised on each publication andadvertisement of the product appearance, by which a simple input of thiscode into the mobile phone by end user is possible, said coding systembeing centrally managed on the fileserver of the marketing serviceprovider whereby for a plurality of product vendors a plurality ofproduct codes will be assigned, said product codes being related withthe uploaded product data from the product suppliers or their affiliatedadvertising agencies and the answering of the product data request bythe end user of subsequently inputting the code in the mobile phone bythe end-user, transmission of the code via the Internet to thefileserver of the marketing service provider, transmission of thecode-related product data through the communication tools to theend-user for viewing at his/her convenience.